Customer Reviews

The Terrorists

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One really can't account for good taste. This rarely broadcast thriller starred Sean Connery as he was first attemtping to escape 007 typecasting during the 1970's. He is in fine form here as a Scandinavian Security Chief trying to negotiate with and outwit a team of terrorists. Excellent winter landscape photography adds to the film's realism and there are some interesting plot surprises along the way. Kudos to 20th Century Fox for releasing this gem on DVD; I never thought I'd see this film again. The quality of the DVD is very good as well.

I wish I would have waited till the DVD came out because I paid $29,99 for the VHS tape. But anyway, very good movie and Connery is at his best after the post 007 era. He is more of a classy verison of Dirty Harry where he breaks all of the rules to get the terrorist but does it with charm!

In a pre-9/11 world, THE TERRORISTS addresses the fears we all have of being victimized by self-righteous, insensitive terrorists. Tame by today's standards, this little known vehicle for Sean Connery is an intelligently plotted and tense little thriller. Connery plays the no-nonsense head of Norway's Security, called in when a group of British terrorists invade the home of the British Ambassador and hold him hostage, demanding release of imprisoned compatriates and safe passage out of Norway. These plans go awry however when the British government discovers the drop point and the terrorists are forced to make a change in plans. This change is orchestrated by a fellow terrorist, played with subdued relish by DEADWOOD's Ian McShane, who holds a commercial airline and its passengers hostage until the other group is released.
As in most British films of the seventies, the pace is deliberate but there is a good amount of suspense generated, and Connery is effective in his role.

Caspar Wrede's Ransom (retitled The Terrorists in the USA) is an entertaining enough cat-and-mouse yarn from 1975 if you have an hour and a half to spare, helped immensely by a commanding performance by Sean Connery as the Scandinavian security chief having to deal with a hostage crisis and an airplane hijacking by Ian McShane's terrorist. There are some neat plot twists, Sven Nykvist's cinematography makes good use of the snowbound locations and there's a strong Jerry Goldsmith score that helps drive the film along nicely, although it is rather disconcerting to hear John Quentin speaking with Malcolm Terris' voice in a particularly noticeable bit of dubbing. All in all, an efficient Saturday night thriller that doesn't aim high but does deliver.

Decided to get the little unknown films where our favorite start, Sean Connery is involved. The Tterrorists is a rare find. Sean Connery plays the part of the head of security and has to get involved with terrorists demanding much in exchange for the hostages they are holding, a British Ambassador and his servants.

To make matters worse, the Ambassador has a heart condition. As the plot develops, we see Connery determined to make sure the terrorists do not get away with their demands. Connery soon finds out that not all is what it seems, for there are many involved in their own games. The end of the movie is rather interesting. We highly recommend this thriller, especially if you like Sean Connery as much as we do!

This movie also goes by the title of Ransom in Britain. It is a tense drama with Ian McShane and Sean Connery (need I say more!!???). Connery is the head of a security force sent in to negotiate with terrorist holding an ambassador and his servants. The terrorist demand transport to the airport, where they learn an aeroplane has been hijacked and is awaiting the arrival of the terrorists and their hostages. Connery is determined to stop them at all costs. It is a taught game of move-counter move, with nearly everyone involved running their own game within a game, and Connery can trust no one. McShane is very believable at the head of the hijacking team, that has more than one mask he is wearing.

I like this sort of film, which has extended bouts of dialog to create a genuine plot, along with a decent amount of action, just to keep it exciting. This film has that 60's British feel to it, although it was made in 1975 and set in Norway.
(warning ending slightly revealed next) The only thing I thought was wrong with this film was a rather perverse ending. Connery was set up to be the "fixer" of problems others created, but in the end, it seemed like the plan was going well, but Connery bungled it, causing someone to get killed, all in the name of some ambiguous "higher" morality.

In this 70s international thriller Sean's not the only heavy hitter on board -- Jerry Goldsmith scores and it's shot by Sven Nyqust. The pictures not bad -- Sean's temperament fits the bleak Scandinavian setting -- you can imagine him in the role of Martin Beck. (Although the cynical twist at the end does render his character a bit of a hothead.)

While the production all-in-all was pretty good, performances by an all british cast competent, the DVD is slightly disappointing in that it lacks the snap and digital sparkle of many newer releases. It is presented in a 1:33 aspect ratio, it lacks image enhancement values and the soundtrack is very weak-kneed. I enjoy viewing the movie, but it just fall way-short of many other offerings...if it wasn't for Sean Connery, I'd send it back.

shullcat2003

I watched it, but I feel I am going to have to watch it again to catch everything I missed in dialog and some action. I have found in the past that this is a mandatory requirement.....run it thru again and catch some things I missed which left the whole thing incomplete. I am pretty sure I will be seeing it at a much higher level once I do that because, basically, I liked it.